You can’t see where you’re going unless you know where you’ve been. At least, that’s the way the Museum of the City of New York sees it in a new exhibit, “New York at Its Core.” The permanent display takes visitors through a comprehensive history of the Big Apple, from its colonial beginnings as a Dutch village to the beloved mecca of art, culture, and innovation it is today. MetroFocus’ Andrea Vasquez takes us to the first-of-its-kind exhibit before its premiere this weekend and shows us how the history of our city comes alive and helps us envision its bright future.

The verdict is in, and two former members of Governor Chris Christie’s administration were found guilty on all counts related to the 2013 Bridgegate scandal. Bill Baroni and Bridget Anne Kelly were convicted this morning for coordinating the inexplicable closure of toll lanes in New Jersey that caused massive traffic jams on the George Washington Bridge. The transit fiasco was all part of a plan to spite Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich after he pulled his support during the re-election campaign for Governor Christie during that year. After a 7-week-long trial that included 35 witnesses and used many of Baroni and Kelly’s words against them, we sit down with a political insider for New York and New Jersey and veteran journalist Ellis Henican to lay out the details on this conviction.

Tonight, this election season has been filled with one political scandal after another, but with only eight days until America elects our next Commander in Chief, perhaps the biggest bombshell has just been detonated. The FBI is now sifting through newly discovered emails related to the ongoing investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State. The new messages surfaced in an unrelated investigation regarding disgraced former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner and his estranged wife, Huma Abedin, who serves as a top aide to the Democratic nominee. The two reportedly shared the computer on which the emails were found.

This all came to light as a result of a letter FBI Director James Comey recently wrote to Congress to inform them of the discovery of new Clinton digital correspondences– a move that is being criticized as political and out of step with departmental policy. Was Comey’s timing deliberate and will this latest scandal influence your vote on Election Day? To answer those questions and more, we’ll speak with longtime Comey friend and adviser, former federal prosecutor and Columbia Law Professor Daniel Richman, and former Bill Clinton adviser, Democratic strategist and President of Sheinkopf Communications Ltd, Hank Sheinkopf.

Next, it looks like it’s full steam ahead for The Gateway Project, an infrastructure proposal that will add two new tunnels to improve rail connections between New York and New Jersey and avert what some are calling “Transportation Armageddon.” The project was recently placed on the President’s Permitting Dashboard, a process that will have any permitting needs for Gateway pushed to the front of the line. If all goes according to plan, New York Senator Chuck Schumer says that construction on the Hudson tunnel portion of the project could begin in 2019. But, is the project truly necessary? What obstacles stand in its way? And beyond that, why has it been so difficult to build and repair our nation’s infrastructure over the past few decades? Philip K. Howard, chair of Common Good, a nonpartisan coalition whose goal is to simplify government, joins us to discuss how critical The Gateway Project is for our region and the roadblocks that infrastructure projects face.

Finally, Happy Halloween! Tonight, MetroFocus celebrates with a terrifyingly true piece of American history: The Salem Witch Trials. Perhaps no historical event has been discussed, written about, or sensationalized quite like this famous, 17th-century witch hunt. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stacy Schiff continues to tell the tale with The Witches: Salem 1692, detailing the hidden stories of the unbelievable historical event. Tonight, Stacy Schiff joins us to discuss the trials, why they have captivated our minds for centuries, and why they are so important to our nation’s history.

It looks like it’s full steam ahead for The Gateway Project, an infrastructure proposal that will add two new tunnels to improve rail connections between New York and New Jersey and avert what some are calling “Transportation Armageddon.” The project was recently placed on the President’s Permitting Dashboard, a process that will have any permitting needs for Gateway pushed to the front of the line. If all goes according to plan, New York Senator Chuck Schumer says that construction on the Hudson tunnel portion of the project could begin in 2019. But, is the project truly necessary? What obstacles stand in its way? And beyond that, why has it been so difficult to build and repair our nation’s infrastructure over the past few decades? Philip K. Howard, chair of Common Good, a nonpartisan coalition whose goal is to simplify government, joins us to discuss how critical The Gateway Project is for our region and the roadblocks that infrastructure projects face.

Tonight, as time ticks away, the Trump and Clinton campaigns become more and more about numbers, but events from both sides of the aisle this weekend have caused public opinion to sway. Between the release of a 2005 recording of Donald Trump making lewd comments about women and a press conference with women who have accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct, everything seemed to come to a head at the second presidential debate on Sunday night. The drama escalated as each candidate took aggressive swipes at each other on every topic possible. As the dust settles from a turbulent weekend in politics, many in the Republican Party are turning their backs on their own nominee, Donald Trump, even going as far as urging him to bow out. All these events have affected the standings of both candidates, but they each seem determined to see this race through to the end. Tonight, we speak to political writer Harry Enten from his headquarters at 538, to update you on everything you need to know from this constantly-changing race to the White House.

Next, if this past Sunday’s presidential debate is any indicator, the presidential race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton could be one of the most contentious in modern times. But what does it take to run for the most powerful office in the world? The Contenders: 16 for ’16 is a PBS series that looks at the most compelling and influential presidential campaigns of the past fifty years using first-hand accounts from many former presidential hopefuls, from Jesse Jackson and Howard Dean to Gary Hart and Pat Buchanan. Carlos Watson, host of The Contenders: 16 for ’16 and editor of OZY Media, takes us inside the next episode titled “The Conservatives,” airing tonight at 8 p.m. on Thirteen, which explores the campaigns of Barry Goldwater, the Republican nominee in the 1964 election, and President Ronald Reagan.

Then, tonight marks the beginning of Yom Kippur, the Jewish ‘Day of Atonement.’ In honor of the reverent holiday, we bring you a unique story in Jewish history that would have been largely forgotten if not for a Catholic priest. Father Patrick Desbois spent over a decade traveling across Eastern Europe in search of mass graves used by Nazi Germany killing squads to bury some 2 million Jews — roughly a third of those who died during the Holocaust. We sit down with Desbois to talk about his work and his goal: to learn from the past and stop this kind of genocide from happening again.

Finally, while New York is working on completing the Second Avenue subway line and Williamsburg prepares for the impending shutdown of the L train, London has embarked on a massive transit project of its own. The Crossrail Project is a super tunnel that will connect one end of London to the other and create 26 miles of new tunnels and connections to existing infrastructure. For the jam-packed, centuries-old city, this feat is no easy task and is filled with challenges and hazards at every turn. A new Nova documentary called Super Tunnel takes its audience underground to explain the importance of the new line while exploring risks this project poses to the city’s existing infrastructure. Tonight, NOVA Senior Producer Chris Schmidt takes us inside the film and gives us an exclusive look at Europe’s largest construction project.

While New York is working on completing the Second Avenue subway line and Williamsburg prepares for the impending shutdown of the L train, London has embarked on a massive transit project of its own. The Crossrail Project is a super tunnel that will connect one end of London to the other and create 26 miles of new tunnels and connections to existing infrastructure. For the jam-packed, centuries-old city, this feat is no easy task and is filled with challenges and hazards at every turn. A new Nova documentary called Super Tunnel takes its audience underground to explain the importance of the new line while exploring risks this project poses to the city’s existing infrastructure. Tonight, NOVA Senior Producer Chris Schmidt takes us inside the film and gives us an exclusive look at Europe’s largest construction project.

If you’re from New Jersey, expect an unpleasant surprise when you go to fill up your gas tank. The price per gallon for gas is going to hike up 23 cents, a price that Governor Chris Christie has agreed on with the state’s Democratic leaders. Where will the added nickels and dimes go? The state’s depleted transportation fund, which foots […]

The Brooklyn Bridge may be getting some major upgrades as city officials explore the idea of expanding the promenade. In recent years, the bridge has earned a reputation for being congested with people. Between tourists, speeding cyclists, and busy commuters, the 133 year-old landmark isn’t that easy to cross. The issue has caught the attention of the city’s Department of […]

Tonight, City Hall is under serious scrutiny as Mayor Bill De Blasio’s political nonprofit organization, “The Campaign for One New York,” goes under investigation. The ethics violations that triggered the inspection have now led to a sweeping subpoena on our city’s seat of power and an extensive look into the communications between the mayor, his aides, the organization, and its donors. What are they looking for? Tonight, we’re digging for those answers with William K. Rashbaum, the New York Times reporter who broke the story.

Next, to this day it remains both one of the greatest aviation mysteries in history and a deeply personal tragedy for our area. On July 17, 1996, TWA Flight 800 departed from John F. Kennedy International Airport on its way to Paris, France. Twelve minutes later, the Boeing 747 jetliner exploded off the coast of Long Island and plunged into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 230 people on board. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the plane went down after a short circuit led to an explosion onboard, but not everyone agrees with the conclusion. 20 years after the crash, News 12 Long Island went back and interviewed those involved with the case to try and figure out what exactly happened. Tonight the producer behind that report, Brad Trettien, joins us to explain what he and his team uncovered.

Finally, Emmy and Tony award-winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth boasts a career that spans all facets of show business, and now the notoriously bubbly performer is opening up to MetroFocus and revealing a side of her that’s never been seen…a sultry, jazzy side. Her new album, “The Art of Elegance,” has been described by critics as vibrant and beautiful, and has debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Current Jazz Chart. A bit of a departure from her Broadway persona. At the Great White Way, she’s known for roles such as Glinda the Good Witch in the original cast of Wicked and Sally in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Now, she’s returning to her roots in a limited engagement at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in My Love Letter to Broadway. And after all that, she shows no signs of slowing down. By the end of this year, Chenoweth will have put out “The Art of Elegance,” designed a jewelry collection, and starred in NBC’s Hairspray Live! as Velma Von Tussle. Tonight, the multi-faceted actress takes time out of her jam-packed schedule to discuss what’s new and what’s next in her dazzling career.

Funders

MetroFocus is made possible by James and Merryl Tisch, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, the Anderson Family Fund, Bernard and Irene Schwartz, the Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family, Rosalind P. Walter, Jody and John Arnhold, Judy and Josh Weston.